Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know
by Listerfiend86
Summary: Derek loves Casey but is afraid to tell her. Based on the song by Britney Spears.


**Title: Don't Let Me Be the Last to Know**

**Author: Moi!**

**Rating: T**

**Pairing: Dasey**

**Summary: Derek loves Casey but is afraid to tell her. Based on the song by Britney Spears.**

**Warnings: Some mild swearing but nothing too bad.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own LWD but if I did, Dasey wouldn't just be a fantasy of us fan fiction writers. I also don't own the song used.**

**Author's Notes:**

**1) Reviews, please. Constructive criticism is welcome and encouraged, flames are not.**

**2) This just came to me so I had to run with it. I hope it doesn't TOTALLY suck, haha.**

"He loves you , you know." Emily Davis says matter-of-factly one day during lunch.

"Huh?" Casey looks up from her history notes, confused.

"Derek, he's totally into you." Emily grins, taking a swig of her milk.

Casey looks at her disbelievingly, "You're crazy, Em. Derek and I can hardly stand the sight of each other." she says, looking at him sitting at his usual seat with Sam and Ralph, chatting animatedly and for a brief second, she would swear he actually smiled at her. But, as fast as the smile appeared, it had transformed into a scowl.

"Oh please, it's so obvious. Have you ever noticed that he'll sometimes go out of his way to touch you in some way? Like yesterday when you had an eyelash on your cheek and he brushed it off with his thumb. Most guys only do that if they're into a girl. That way he can touch you in a non-creepy way that won't freak you out." Emily explained, grinning. Oh yeah, she's done her research.

Breathing a heavy sigh, Casey just looks down at her notes, trying to ignore this new, unfamiliar twisting in her stomach.

***Meanwhile***

"D, just tell her, man." Ralph says, digging in to his lunch.

"Yeah, she's gonna find out eventually, why not from you?" Sam asks, for once in his life, agreeing with Ralph. Shocking, huh? But hey, it had to happen some time.

"Oh yeah, that'll go over REALLY well." Derek says, rolling his eyes.

"Come on, man. Even Sally agrees that you should tell her and you know she thought it was a little weird in the beginning." Sam says, looking past Derek at Casey's slumped shoulders. Was there a chance that she already knew?

"You all did." Derek says with a dismissive laugh.

"Not me, I think Casey's cool and you guys would be good for each other. But seriously dude, you need to tell her. I know you don't do feelings or whatever but she needs to know." Ralph says seriously.

Derek sighs at that. After all, if Ralph of all people agreed it was the right thing then maybe it was.

***Back to Casey***

Casey was laying on her bed reading and trying to keep her mind off of the information she had received that day. Not only was Emily telling her that Derek was in love with her but so had Amanda, Sam's girlfriend Rosie and even her own mother. Was she really that slow that she didn't see it before?

Yes, they say that when a guy teases a girl, it's because he likes her but is afraid to make a move but does that really apply to step-siblings? And what if something DID happen between them? Casey was sure they'd be breaking at least half a dozen laws. She was pretty sure that could be considered incest.

But then she thought about what it would be like if she were Derek Venturi's girlfriend. Sure, she abhorred his slovenly ways and his pig-headed need to be right about everything. But then there were times when he was very sweet and endearing, like when she was depressed about her break-up with Max. He DID really help her through that. Sure, he poured melted ice cream on her head but he also let her cry on his shoulder the night before. That's gotta count for something, right?

As a last ditch effort, she dialed Sally's number. She was sure SHE could give her some sound advice.

Sally answered on the third ring, "Hello?" she said into the phone.

"H-hey Sal, its Casey. Ummm, a-are you busy?" Casey asked.

Sally could hear something wrong in Casey's voice and immediately sat up from her laying position on her couch, "Not at all. What's wrong?"

"Oh nothing, why would you think anything was wrong?" Casey laughed uneasily.

"You just sound upset and you've never been a very good liar either so what's going on?" Sally asked, now really curious.

After a long pause, Casey finally got up the nerve to tell her, "E-everyone has been telling me that…that ummm…D-Derek's…ummm…in love…with…me…"

Sally smiled knowingly, "Actually, he is."

Casey couldn't believe what she was hearing. The most level-headed person she knew was saying the same thing! This was going to cause total chaos in Casey's world and Casey McDonald did NOT do chaos! Ever! "No, y-you've gotta be kidding me, right? Please tell me you're joking, Sally!" she cried desperately.

"Casey, get a hold of yourself!" Sally screamed, trying to calm her panic-stricken friend.

"Oh you try hearing that your step-brother is possibly in love with you and stay calm!" Casey sighed, throwing herself back on her bed, thinking she just might feel the same way.

Sally smirks, glad Casey can't see her because she knows what's going through Casey's head right now, "Hey Case, I'm really sorry but I've got to go. I have something to do and I totally lost track of the time."

"Oh, okay…ummm…thanks for the help…" Casey said with a heavy sigh. Her last chance to inject some logic into the situation, gone.

"No problem. Talk to you later. Bye-bye." Sally says, somewhat cheerfully before hanging up.

Casey decided she needed some rest after such a long and trying day. She got up, changed into her pajamas and got into bed, hoping a nice, long night's sleep would bring her some clarity and peace of mind.

Oh how wrong she was.

***Casey's Dream***

"Casey!" she heard Derek's voice calling for her.

"Whaaaaat?" Casey whined, turning over in bed to see Derek standing in the doorway, only…the room was different. Where the heck was she?

"Come on babe, we're gonna miss our appointment." he says with a slight smile.

"Huh? Why are you calling me babe? Klutzilla getting old?" she asks, raising an eyebrow accusingly.

"I've been calling you 'babe' for quite some time." Derek says confusedly.

With a sigh, Casey sits up, struggling a bit. "What the…?" she looks down to see the source of her struggle. A big, round belly. Shocked, she touches it to see if it's real and feels a small kick from within.

"Is little Maddie giving mommy a hard time again?" Derek asks with a chuckle, placing his left hand on her belly, rubbing it lovingly.

"I-is that…?" she asks, pointing to the simple gold band on his left ring finger.

"Its my wedding ring, Case." he looks at her, more confused than ever.

"W-wait a minute…w-we're married?" Casey asks frantically.

"We have been for a year and a half." Derek chuckles. Same old Casey, panics over everything.

"No…no no no no and no! We can't be married! First of all, we're only 17! And besides, we're step-siblings! I'm pretty sure its illegal for us to not only get married but conceive a child together!" Casey yells, placing her palm against her forehead, willing the throbbing to stop.

"Whoa, Casey! Chill. First of all, we're not 17, we're 21 and it's not illegal for us to be together. And everyone is fine with it." Derek says trying to calm her, knowing that getting stressed right now would not be good.

"They are?" she asks, smiling a little.

"Well duh. Dad was my best man at our wedding. Do you really think he would've been IN the wedding if he didn't approve? And you, your mom, Em, Rosie and Liz pretty much planned the whole thing." Derek chuckles.

Casey can't help but smile. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all.

***End Casey's Dream***

Casey wakes with a start, gazing around her pitch black room. She slowly moves her hands to her stomach and sighs, somewhat disappointed when she feels no bump or movement. The dream just seemed so real…

Determinedly, she throws the covers back, gets out of bed and makes her way to Derek's room. Suddenly, losing her nerve, she turns to go back to her own room when the door flies open.

"What do you want, Spacey?" Derek asks, somewhat annoyed.

Casey takes a long, deep breath before answering, "To talk to you. Now move." she says, shoving past him into his pig-pen of a room. She makes a disgusted face but quickly recovers.

"And just who gave you permission to come in here?" Derek asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Me." Casey says simply, turning around to meet his challenge, arms folded across her chest, eyebrow raised.

"Just tell me what you want and get lost." Derek says, rolling his eyes and plopping down on his bed.

"W-well…I've been hearing…rumors." Casey starts, trying to muster up the courage to tell him.

"Good for you." Derek says with another roll of his eyes.

"Damn it Derek! Numerous people have told me that you're in love with me and I want to know whether or not it's the truth!" Casey screams. Well, so much for mustering up courage, huh?

A look of horror flashes in Derek's eyes but he quickly recovers, "Me? In love with a little grade-grubbing keener like you? Puh-lease!" he scoffs, hoping that will suffice.

Casey can see right through him, "Derek, if all of this is true, don't let me be the last to know. I think I deserve to hear the truth from you. Can you at least give me that much?"

Without a word, Derek approaches her, snaking his arms around her waist, crashing his lips against hers, taking Casey by surprise. He can feel her body tense against him at first then loosen up slowly as she reaches up, wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing back deeply.

After a few moments, they reluctantly pull apart, "Ummm…w-wow…" was all Casey could say.

Derek, however, had plenty to say. He smiles softly, resting her forehead against hers, whispering gently, "I'm in love with you, Casey McDonald. I can't hold myself back anymore. I want you. I need you."

A single tear falls from Casey's eye, "I'm in love with you, too. I think a part of me always has been."

"Thank you." Derek says simply, softly kissing her forehead.

"F-for what?" Casey asks.

"For loving me back no matter how right or wrong other people think it is. If we do decide to try things with us, it could get brutal." Derek says with a heavy sigh.

After thinking for a moment, Casey smiles softly, "Then we'll face it together."

And face it together they did. Just how it should be.

**THE END**

**Ok, there you are, folks. I hope it didn't suck too badly lol. Now review and let me know what you think. =D**


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